Present Scenes
by storyspeaker
Summary: Relationships are never easy, especially when trying to decide whether or not to move beyond the status quo.  Warnings: Mentions of m/m pairings, some abuse, mild language and other things that will probably come up - Un-beta'd so mistakes are likely
1. Chapter 1

**Present Scenes**

Sequel to Episode of the Past

**Summary:** Relationships are never easy, especially when trying to decide whether or not to move beyond the status quo.

**Warnings: **Mentions of m/m pairings, some abuse, mild language and other things that will probably come up - Un-beta'd so mistakes are likely

**Disclaimer: **Both Harry Potter and CSI:NY belong to their respective creators and right holders, which isn't me obviously. This won't be repeated

**A/N - **I know from the first story that some disagree with the idea of Harry being gay. In spite of that I am also glad that they think that Episode of the Past is a good story. Here's my reply to the idea that it seems like a distasteful concept - I didn't choose to make Harry gay just because I think it's hot to picture him and Flack together. I chose to depict him as being gay to hopefully show different dynamics to him and further explore his relationships with others under that context. I also think that outside of comedy or homosexually targeted media it is rare to see a homosexual character and generally when you do they exhibit nearly all of the stereotypes.

Also, gay or not relationships are not easily approached whether or not it's friendship, familial or as lovers. I know for myself I feel comfortable in my sexuality, but I also believe that when I fall in love I would be accepting of it no matter the sex of the person I fall in love with.

This chapter kind of jumps around and hopefully future chapters will get better. I will also need some help with ideas because the plot for this is hard to pin down, meaning updating will be slow.

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"It's not a date Don." Harry said with raised eyebrows waiting for his friend's reply.

"Ah, why would you bring me?" He evaded trying to think about what his friend had asked of him.

"Well, you are one of my best friends. Aunt liked you and she would have invited you herself but I said I would ask if you would come with me as my guest." Harry looked at his watch, "Look no pressure. It's not for another month and a half. It's been arranged for my usual days off so it would be a quick overnight trip and then after the ceremony we can fly back."

He turned and began walking away and Don watched still at a loss about the question. Completely out of left, he thought with wide eyes. He sighed and turned back to the crap on his desk. He had just finished one case, but there were still others that he had to work and then there were plenty of past ones that he had to clear off or finish the paper work for. Really it had been a good thing that he had been sitting when Harry had asked him.

"_My aunt's getting married to Remus. Do you want to come with me to her wedding?"_

Not a date...he shook his head determined to concentrate on something other than the intense green eyed gaze behind wire frames.

~~~PS~~~

"Should you be on the job now? It's only been a couple of months."

Harry looked up from his crouched position next to the body. He spotted Stella coming towards him with a camera in hand. He stood up slowly and moved back careful with where he stepped.

"I'm fine." He saw her blunt look and spoke again, "Look Stella sitting alone in my flat will just make me crazy. Here at least I can do something. I'm taking it easy," he saw her unblinking look and replied a bit defensively, "my work load has been halved because the others have been taking this or that case from me."

His accent thickened with his irritation.

"Poor Harry," Stella murmured as she got back to doing her job.

He reeled at that. He really hated that phrase. He had heard it so many times as he grew up from so many people that thought they knew him and what he had gone through. Funny it had been Professor Snape, right stiff bloke that he is, that had really kept him somewhat sane under all the pitying looks and comforting condolences of everyone. When Snape had used it, it was in scorn.

One of these days he should send the chemistry teacher something in thanks, but that wouldn't be for years if ever. The man's arrogance was probably far worse than any he said that James Potter had when they went to school together.

"I just can't dwell on what happened or I'll second guess myself into some kind of unhealthy addiction."

"Are there any healthy addictions?"

"You caught this case too?" Harry looked up to see Danny strolling past the uniforms and ducking under the tape.

"I'm here right? Anyway you were saying somethin' about addictions." The other detective said as he pulled on gloves.

Harry rolled his eyes, "People like to pretend there are."

"What's this about asking Flack out?"

"You asked Flack out? Really, no one really thought you would ever ask him out." Stella sounded genuinely surprised.

Harry shot Messer a look of surprise as well, "I didn't ask him out on a date. I just asked him if he would come with me to my aunt's wedding. She wanted to invite him herself, but I said I would see if he would come with me as my guest."

"I don't know. That's not what's being said around the office."

Harry frowned, "We talked in our own building." He looked at both CSIs closely, "They gossip about us in your guys' section too?"

The dirty blond detective snorted, "We've got a pool going on you guys."

"Danny," Stella said with a smile fighting across her face as she turned away from the body to look at something that had caught her eye.

Harry rolled his eyes. "It's not that big a secret. I've known since after my second boyfriend, since moving to America, left because of the overtime I did missing my date. I'm still not sure why the pool about Flack and me began though and I don't really want to know." He told them warningly.

He moved away from the body and the CSIs. His eyes scanning over the crowd and picking out those that looked willing to talk there and those that would probably out right refuse to say anything whether they knew something or not.

~~~PS~~~

Don still didn't know what to make of the 'not a date' thing that Harry had asked him about. That had happened yesterday and they haven't run into each other since. Not surprising, from what he had heard about their investigation it seemed that it was becoming an exercise in deciphering.

He didn't mind for once needing more time to think about the request. Besides he had his own stuff to deal with. Some shake downs and ground walking along the streets hunting down leads.

He looked into the dead eyes of the woman looking through him. She leaned casually against her door jamb clearly not wanting to talk anywhere else with him. She wore a natty robe over top old faded joggers and a white wife beater. Her shoulders are slightly hunched making her height between five-four and five-six.

"I told the other that I don't know nothin'." Her voice carried the rasp of a smoker. Her arms are crossed over her torso holding to herself.

Flack was familiar with this. Most of the people he dealt with in these neighbourhoods didn't want to deal with anyone else let alone a cop. He sometimes wondered how much of what he had to chase down came down to behaviour. You live in this kind of environment and what often happens? Life beat down on a person and the person would sometimes try to beat back but a lot of the time it was in the wrong way.

"Look I'm just looking for some answers here. I was told that Caron sometimes hung out around here. If you see him tell him to give me a call," Don told the woman.

He walked away knowing that his card was more likely to be thrown into the trash than kept to be passed along. Sometimes it was hard to understand that to a lot of the people the cops weren't really the good guys. Other days, he could get why cops and civilians had a hard time relating to each other; on those days he was looking into the eyes of a parent, child or lover and seeing their betrayal by the system.

He reached the street and turned north. He hadn't bothered driving. He wanted the time to think or not think as it were about the talk the other day. He had another stop to make before heading back to the station. He heard his phone, reaching into his pocket he pulled it out and checked the id before punching the button to answer.

"Flack," he waited for a response as he shifted out of the way of a gaggle of little old ladies carrying grocery bags and gossiping.

His eyebrows shot up as he listened to the caller. Well, this was unexpected, a break so soon. It didn't help with the other problem, but he would take what he could.

~~~PS~~~

Harry dropped into the chair across from Mac with a groan. He wondered why he had agreed. It wasn't like there hadn't been other options. He looked up to see the small glitter of amusement in the older man's eyes.

"She finally won the right to set you up didn't she?"

"Felicia, yeah," Harry nodded, "We made a deal sometime ago. If she could get me the information that could lead to a solid arrest then she could fix me up on a blind date with someone. Well before there were always some small way that I could wiggle out of it, including saying that I was dating someone at the time, but this time well..."

Mac laughed, "You know she prides herself in fixing up lasting couples."

"I know I'm doomed," Harry said with humour. "I don't know why I've let that deal go on. I hate surprises."

Harry shook his head and his expression got more serious as he looked the other man in the eye. "You wanted to talk Mac?"

"Stella told me that she already tried talking to you about coming back to work now, so I'm not going to get into why you should think about taking more time. What I want to know is do you really believe that you're ready for duty again? I've talked to your supervisor and he's mentioned some concern."

Harry wanted to be angry. If he were still a teen he would have lashed out rather violently, not on Mac but on everything in the office. He still remembered his fifth year and what he had done to Dumbledore's office after receiving some news about his godfather. Instead, he sighed and thought about what his friend had asked.

He lifted his hands into view and looked at the new scars branded and cut into them. Harry would prefer not to remember but thinking about the hazy memories while awake wasn't as bad as being forced to relive them in his dreams.

"I can't sit at home Mac." Harry smiled grimly, "About the only good thing to come out of this is the fact that my aunt is marrying Remus Lupin." He looked out of the office at the busy CSI labs, "I'd prefer not to dwell on what happened." He hesitated before telling Mac quietly, "At the end of my fifth year I found out that my godfather was killed and that summer I went into depression. About the only reason I didn't get too bad was because my aunt insisted on getting me into different activities for the entire summer after the first month of not wanting to interact with anyone."

Mac had weighed his words carefully before nodding, "Remember we're all here for you to talk to if that's what you need."

"I know and I appreciate that."

~~~PS~~~

"You know I heard Felicia succeeded in talking Potter into going on a blind date of her choice."

Flack stopped typing as he leaned back to listen in on the conversation.

"He always gets himself out of those."

"Not this time," There was smugness to the tone as he informed the other knowledgeably. "He broke up with his last boyfriend before England. He hasn't seen anyone since and he can't cry any problems because he's back to work now."

"Huh, well, I hope he knows what he's in for. Felicia can be really scary when she's on a matchmaking hunt. I think the people she has in her sights are more likely to latch on to someone for sheer survival..."

The conversation faded out as the two speakers walked away. The din of the office covered up anything further from Don's hearing. He frowned. A hand clenched and released the arm of his chair unconsciously.

His concentration is completely shot now. Has Felicia ever set up a gay couple before? He didn't know why he is so concerned; it isn't any of his business. It got a laugh when Harry had first mentioned the deal between him and Felicia. Now though…it annoyed the hell out of him.

He got up grabbing his jacket from the back of his chair and pulled it on with jerky motions. He said something about making rounds to someone before leaving. He practically marched out of the room as he made his way out of the precinct. The wake he left had several giving him a cursory glance before turning back to their own stuff.

Some turned to someone close and bets were discussed. They knew that Flack was straight but they also knew that there was a kind of charge between him and Potter. They forgot who had pointed it out; it was simply something that everyone knew about now. It was only a matter of time to some of their minds, hence the betting.

~~~PS~~~

"Yo Flack can we talk?" An accented voice called from one of the booths.

Don turned and spotted where Felicia's voice came from. His cheek flexed once before he put on a forced smile as he moved to her table. The low lighting of the bar and low murmur of voices surrounded him. He slid onto the bench easily as he faces the mocha skinned woman.

"Felicia I hear you've been busy." He greeted.

"So you've heard already, huh. Well that's pretty much why I want to talk with you." She leaned forward letting her cleavage become more visible as she looked seriously in the light skinned detective's eyes.

"'Bout you callin' on yours an' Harry's deal, yeah I might have heard something." Don said with a shrug and slight expression on his face.

She smiled, "Good. Now you know Harry better than anyone. I want some kind of idea about what kind of man I should set him up with."

Don's eyes narrowed. "Felicia you know him about as well as I do so what's up with this?"

He waved over a waitress and asked for a beer. He turned back to the other woman and waited for her answer. He looked out at the crowded establishment as he waited impatiently for her to give him an answer to the question.

"Well, I may know him quite well but I've really only met one of his past boyfriends. You have met them all if I'm not mistaken. They often go to that boy's night out that you guys take part in sometimes."

Flack snorted, "If none of them lasted they're the last guys to base Harry's date off of."

"Oh I know that sugah," she leaned back crossing her arms. "Even so there are certain traits that we're attracted to in different people and sometimes people knowingly or unknowingly pick several with the same one. My thought is if I knew what about each of those men Harry liked then I could pick out someone I thought had them."

"They'd better like food or not mind that Harry would rather stay in and cook." Don pointed out thinking about how Harry had a dozen favourite places to eat and a particular dish that he liked at each one. A look of bliss on Harry's face crossed his mind that usually had Don reminding himself that he was only into females.

Don had asked once and Harry had shrugged and kind of passed it on about having to do with his childhood. He then remembered that Harry had said once in aside to another case he was working about how little he ate. It hadn't taken much to realize that Harry was probably being starved when younger. Don had gotten angry and spouted something about his aunt and uncle.

Harry had surprisingly gotten defensive on his aunt's behalf. _"Uncle Vernon had always gone on about Aunt Petunia needing to cut down on eating this or that reminding her about her diet." _His voice had been so scathing. Green eyes burned into blue, "_My aunt had been practically a living skeleton that was how thin she was. Meanwhile, Dursley and Dudley were quite obese in comparison." _He would pause and look ahead, "_I saw pictures of her when she was younger. She might not have won any pageants but she used to be quite pretty in that understated way. Marriage to Dursley changed her and with my parents gone and no other close family there was no one there to champion her against her abusive husband."_

He saw Felicia straighten up as she came to a decision. Don waited warily for her to say whatever it was that had crossed her mind. He is resigned to listening to her plans regarding one of his best friends.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Neither Harry Potter nor CSI:NY belong to me.

Just a reminder, I did warn that updates will be slow. Oh, *grimaces* the grammar is pretty shaky as well, but I edited it as best as I could given I'm terrible at editting, especially my own stories. Well enjoy!

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**Chapter 2**

Harry got up. He can't sleep; he didn't want to relive what had happened to him just months ago. He had been drugged until he couldn't even tell if he was standing or lying down, but surprisingly that didn't matter to his dreams. He didn't turn to sleeping aids as they are too close to reminding him of the different drugs that Riddle fed him to keep him pliant.

He walked into his bathroom not bothering with the light as he turned on the sink taps and leaned down to splash his face. He didn't straighten right away after shutting the water off. He leaned there and just let the water dry a bit on his face and hands. He just concentrated on the way the excess slowly dribbled down the plains of his face.

He didn't have to work tomorrow. It's also been a few days since he had to admit to Felicia that she had won their long standing deal. He isn't looking forward to the blind date. The key word being 'blind' causing him to recall all of the dates that his aunt had set up for him years ago. He just hated surprises too.

He pushed off his forearms and reached for a towel hanging on the wall next to the sink. He dried his face quickly and dropped it haphazardly onto the counter. He bypassed his room in favour of going out to the living room where he grabbed up the remote for his stereo and turned it on. He hit the button for one of the preset stations before dropping the item back down on to the end table it had laid on before.

He slipped around his couch and headed for the window. He looked out at the lit shadow of buildings. He raised a hand up to his forehead and flinched when he felt the edges of his scar. Honestly, sometimes he forgot it is there. His hair is long enough to cover it up. Hardly anyone even gave it any attention.

He remembered the endless questions about it. Since there is a permanent stain to the scar it makes it even more of a curiosity to people. His aunt had offered to see if they could get it cosmetically taken care of after reading how cosmetic surgery was quickly advancing especially in dealing with scars and the like. He had declined it then and again when Hermione had shown him some stats when they were nearly out of Hogwarts.

It is a painful reminder of one of the few clear memories he retained of his parents and the man that caused all of the pain, but the scar...it is a part of him. It served him as a reminder of the direction he always planned to take with his life. It is a promise of sorts to himself and his parents' memory. He tried explaining that but isn't sure if anyone understood.

When he heard his cell go off he knew he is being called for work. It's not unexpected; they are more or less available at anytime regardless of being on or 'off' their shift. Vacation is generally the only time that being called in is not likely to occur. At that moment he felt some relief at not needing to try and stay awake and away from his dreams, so he turned away from his window to go and get ready. Absently on the way back to his room he turned off his stereo.

~ PS ~

Don came in at the beginning of his shift and is surprised to see Harry slouching over his desk working half asleep. He looks questioningly at a fellow detective wanting to know what is up.

The guy shrugged, "He got called to a scene a couple of hours ago. Don't think he got a lot of sleep but wouldn't admit to it. You know how Harry can be."

Yeah, he did know. They all knew how the Brit can be when it came to work. There is a bet on the books that Harry will burn out. He cared a lot and those that do tend to close off or burn out, but they did make the best cops.

Don dropped his jacket on the back of his chair and he headed across the room to the small break room. He grimaced at the pot but still poured two cups, dumping a spoonful of whitener into one of the cups and snatched up a few sugar packets. He moved around the small knots of people that had formed in the short time he had been gone to get the coffee.

"Here, I know it's not the tea you prefer but it's better than you falling asleep at your desk." Don said as he placed the creamed coffee and sugar onto Harry's desk.

Harry glanced over and then up to look at him blinking glazed over eyes. He frowned at the coffee and then glanced at the clock at the bottom of a picture frame an old boyfriend had given to him. The picture isn't of the ex and had never held a picture of any of the three or is it four boyfriends. The picture was of the CSI crew and them. His American family as he had said fondly. Don remembered vaguely the un-amused expression when Harry had slipped that picture into the frame almost immediately after getting it.

The relationship hadn't lasted much longer after that.

"Huh," Harry mumbled as he ripped open all of the packets and dumped them into the beverage. He stirred it quickly and tapped the excess off of the stir stick before dropping it onto the empty packets.

Don turned away at the grimace on the bespectacled man's face. It could be because it is coffee and not the precious tea that he appreciated or well it could be the drink itself. Even done up precinct coffee tasted god-awful but it did have a kick that can keep you awake for a long time. None really thought about the way it got made up, but more often than not it was probably just fresh grounds dumped into the filter and added water. It is only the more conscious that took the time to make a real fresh pot and sometimes even that didn't help the taste of the stuff.

Back at his own desk he began to go through his files and prioritizing what cases he has been working on in the past few days. Most are a matter of follow up. As he shuffled through them he spotted the flyer that got mixed up with everything else. He leaned back in his chair as he looked it over wondering where it came from.

"Oh, you got it. I was looking for that." Harry's accented voice said.

Don looked up and saw Harry with a jacket in his hands. "You put this on my desk?"

Harry shook his head, "No someone came in with it and the guy at the desk said he'd get someone to put it on my desk or on the board. I didn't see, so I thought maybe they'd forgotten about it."

Don looked at the flyer again. "I didn't know you had anything to do with this sorta thing."

Harry shrugged, "I figure that if I don't want more Tom Riddles popping up the least I could do is to spend time at different orphanages. Positive influences through good role models and activities that get the kids involved in the community."

Don didn't ask about the slight twitch at the mention of the man that did so much to ruin his friend's life. He had to repress his immediate reaction. Some nights he still woke up in a cold sweat from a dream of Harry in the hospital or worse lying dead on a morgue table. He still felt rage at a dead man that he couldn't do anything against for what he had done to his friend.

He's pretty certain that it has a lot to do with the fact that all he could do was look at everything that the English authorities had already gathered. Mac and the rest of them had done their best to help out. Don had gotten to know Harry's best friends over the phone. He had even gotten to speak with Petunia Evans over the course of Harry's disappearance. Over the course of that he had learned a lot more about Tom Riddle's background; Hermione had been quite helpful in that.

He didn't think – well it might have had an influence but as far as he was concerned Tom Riddle's bad childhood in the orphanage was an excuse. The man had still attended a boarding school where the environment hadn't been abusive. He had had the chance to make something of his life but instead he had found pleasure in torture and killing people and manipulating or encouraging others in doing the same thing. A sociopath is what many had called the man.

"So does this mean the kids put on this tournament or do they participate?"

"Both, we got it started a year ago so this will be the second time it's held. The kids are all excited because there are at least two more teams over what had been at the tourney last year. They've been busy getting everything together for it."

"The date's pretty close to your aunt's wedding." He commented casually. His mind skirted the question that had been raised to him only days ago. He's been avoiding thinking about it. With that a flash back to just the other night came to mind of Felicia and her plans for setting Harry up with someone. He pushed that thought away as well.

"I know but barring something coming up here there should be no problems either with partaking in the tournament or my aunt's wedding. Even so I've requested a day to make sure that I will be able to go to Aunt Petunia's wedding." Harry smiled, a slight softening and quirk of his lips. "This is all kind of surprising really."

"How's that?" Don tilted his head, eyes intent on the other brunet.

"Well the last time my aunt dated was while I was going to university. I set her up on a date with a professor. It was kind of retaliation for all of the dates that she was setting me up on with _nice_ _girls_. I came out to her and Dudley in my senior year of Hogwarts and with Dudley being shortly diagnosed with an acute form of cancer it kind of got shuffled off to the side, but when I was in university it came up again when I actually introduced her to a guy I was starting to date seriously." Green eyes lightened with humour, "Well after that date she no longer set me up on blind dates. It was a bit uncomfortable but at least she didn't kick me out of her life or anything."

Don sensed that there was more to the story but was content to accept the tidbit that Harry had shared. The Brit was rather private about himself but that could be laid down at the feet of the media that felt it necessary to write everything about him as he grew up. There was a book somewhere that dealt with Tom Riddle and the Potters and quite strongly of Harry.

Harry glanced at his watch, "I better get going I have someone I need to meet soon. Do me a favour Don and pin that to one of the boards. Talk to you later," and he was gone.

Don looked at the notice and thought about it. It wasn't like the guys didn't take part in things like this; it was just that somehow with the god-awful schedule they had Harry took part in all sorts of events like this. There is a joking title for Harry among some of the guys, especially those that didn't like the Brit either because they didn't know him or the fact he is gay, and it is, 'St. Potter.'

* * *

None of the characters wanted to co-operate and Felicia didn't want to appear and set her strategy for pairing Harry up with someone in motion.


	3. Interlude  Expectations

Just a little something 'til I get the next chapter done. Also to remind everyone, I will be a slow and unpredictable updater.

Standard Disclaimer applies

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**Expectations**

Petunia stared at the dark blond almost brown haired man surprised. This certainly isn't what she expected from the budding friendship with James Potter's childhood friend. In fact, she never expected it to happen ever after she had gotten out of her relationship with Vernon.

She hasn't dated in years. The most contact that she has with men happens only at events where there are plenty of other people around or in public areas. For the longest time after the death of her only son the only man in her life has been her nephew. They had a better relationship compared to his early childhood while she had still been with Vernon.

There were rough times; how could there not be? Her son had been diagnosed with cancer in his late teens. Around that time Harry had come out to them and she had wanted to pretend otherwise. After Dudley's death she had focused her attention on her nephew solely. So while he had been going to university she had conveniently put aside what he had told her about his sexuality and tried to pair him off with young women that she felt would be good companionship to Harry.

She had only stopped after Harry had returned the favour of setting up a blind date with one of his professors. She had been embarrassed and agitated though she had gone through with it in the end. The man had been thankfully patient and understanding and somewhat amused as to the reasons that had lead up to the date. He had even given her some good advice because he too had a son that had recently come out of the closet.

He admitted that he had reacted badly. His son had run off and they hadn't spoken for months and it would have gone on for years if he hadn't gotten the call from the hospital. He had gotten there and been informed his son was the victim of assault. When he had gone in to see his son, he had been torn by the defeated and small figure lying in the hospital bed. His son was a vibrant healthy athlete to that point and the figure he presented in that room was a stranger to him.

"_He said in the most tired and self-loathing voice, 'I tried...I didn't want to be this way. I ignored it for as long as I could hoping it would just go away. A phase isn't that what a lot of homophobes say? You would still love me then.'" _He had gone silent for a moment as he looked out the window of the restaurant.

"_For me that reaffirmed the fact that I am a parent and differences aside I raised him alongside my wife until she died. I think what had made it hard for me to accept was the idea that I had failed to raise him properly on my own. I blinded myself to the more important things and just saw what so many see whether because of societal views or religion. I couldn't blame religion because I'm not a very religious man and the same for my deceased wife. I always thought of myself as being an educated man but the way I reacted to my son's announcement says otherwise." He had paused again before saying quietly._

"_We don't have a perfect relationship but then who can claim that? I do my best to be more tolerant and to educate myself on this as any other subject. To do less would be to lose my son forever."_

It had been difficult at first but she had learned over time not just to tolerate but to accept the way it was. Her nephew was all the family she had left. If she couldn't go beyond the instant disapproval that so many others, particularly of her generation, went through over the idea of someone close being a homosexual then she would be that same scared housewife with the haughty attitude that masks it. She couldn't be her again not after gathering what little courage she had to leave Vernon and go through with a divorce.

Yet here she is and another man is asking her to marry him. She, who had broken vows before. They had met briefly years ago. Lily had introduced them at her engagement party and later they had given polite greetings at her sister's wedding. He was one of James' groomsmen after all and she her sister's maid of honour (she had been astonished that her sister had given her that role at her wedding, certain it would be given to one of her girlfriends from Hogwarts).

Then there is what happened after Tom Riddle escaped from prison and Harry insisted that she go stay with Remus Lupin. It had taken some persuasion but in the end she went and stayed with him. It had been awkward at first; her not knowing how to interact with the best friend of her long deceased brother-in-law, and him being a little uneasy and defensive of his health condition, as well as being overly solicitous because of the situation of Tom Riddle's unknown location.

Then during Harry's capture he had been there offering solid support and firm updates (even if they weren't much) about the investigation and locating of her nephew. He gave her facts and not pity. Importantly, he didn't let her wallow in pity or self-recriminations. He 'put up' with her sharp tongue by giving witty and dry comments back at her.

He gave her friendship in the long anxious wait of her nephew's recovery.

"Yes, but let's not have a long engagement." She surprised herself further with that statement.

As she saw his small somewhat nervous smile increase in size and his brown eyes take on a glow in response, she feels her heart stutter and then resume at a faster and harder pace. A hand lifts up to her chest in response as she feels a kind of wonderment over the feelings that were circulating within her. She knew despite all of her fears and doubts that marriage to Remus would be everything that her first should have been and more.

He was a better man.

He would be a partner.

Somehow, she knew that those weren't just expectations but fact.


	4. Chapter 3

_Warnings and disclaimers still apply._

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**Chapter 3**

Harry looked bemused at what his odd luck had brought to him. It was back in effect apparently. All seven years of his Hogwarts life flashed into his mind as he thought about the situations that cropped up. Everyone swore that he looked for them; Snape had accused him on several occasions of not being able to keep his nose out of things just like his dad and his friends when they went to school together.

Harry would beg to differ. These weird situations always found him and not the other way around. Was it his fault that Professor seemed to act so suspiciously? It just begged to be looked into and when certain things came to light...well really the headmaster and the other professors should have been the ones to take care of the situation.

Flipping open his cell he pressed one of his presets as he lifted it towards his ear.

"This is Detective Harry Potter. I'm requesting a wagon to pick up a suspect."

He still needed to stop by the Home with some things for the tournament. The kids were quite serious in their planning. The director had good-naturedly said that the kids had relegated her to the smaller tasks, when they had talked on the phone about the upcoming event. He had asked what the kids intended to do with the excess funds leftover and she had laughingly said that the kids had politely told her that it was none of her business it was supposed to be a surprise.

He knew they had a goal and hoped that it would be met; otherwise the kids could become discouraged. They had been carefully counting out the money and accounting for the donations that had been made to them. They were busy calculating for everything and recalculating. He knew that one of the regular volunteers at the orphanage was a university student majoring in math and business and they had been roped into helping the kids keep track of the finances for the tournament.

It was good both for the university student and the kids. They were seeing real life applications of skills. They were learning skills and taking on responsibilities. They were seeing that mostly what it took was hard work and willingness to see it through. They may be supervised by the director and the other caretakers of the Home, but it was more to guide them and keep them from being unrealistic in their preparations.

He wondered if he would be able to put together a couple of teams of cops together. He knew Flack and Danny would probably be willing to come out and support the kids. He'll ask around anyway.

That invitation would probably go better with Flack. Harry couldn't help but grin inwardly as he remembered Don's blank look after he had asked him if he would go to his aunt's wedding. It was a look that accompanied surprise and trying to understand a particular situation. His friend had probably been doing windmills in his head as he tried to figure out what to say that wasn't a hard and fast, 'Hell no!' He supposed he could have been more tactful in his phrasing. Well, no matter, he had asked and there would be no changing the awkwardness of the situation.

~ PS ~

Flack still couldn't believe he got talked into this. Where was his pride? He wasn't in some kind of chick flick, comedy or not. Felicia can be real compelling though, which is why many either worship or loathe her match-making skills.

He wonders not for the last time why would Harry make such an ill advised deal with the southern born woman. If he had such a dislike for surprises and apparently blind dates then why make a deal that allowed someone to set him up with someone?

He can be putting his down time to better use for one thing. His detective skills were never meant to be match-making skills. His people skills were limited to what he needed for his job. He hated BS; he would rather get right down to the point. As far as he can see match-making is all about the BS.

He can't believe he's standing here scoping out a possible candidate for his friend. Felicia had insisted. He now wished that he had slipped out of the bar before she could get him involved in this...he really couldn't think of a good term for this situation he's in. The only thing in his current situation's favour was that he's not in a gay bar.

He did not need people thinking he's a closet homosexual.

He had tried to argue himself out of this but as Felicia had so helpfully pointed out – he's met all of Harry's exes. Who better to assess a possible candidate than him? So, here he is sitting in a cafe or bistro...whatever, watching out for the guy that Felicia has in mind for Harry.

A meet and greet.

Don had looked at her like she was crazy when she told him her plans. He had demanded to know what she had told her friend to explain this meeting. She just said that she had told her friend that he was a concerned friend. He wanted to be able to talk to the guy that his best friend was about to go out on a date with, hinting about what had happened to Harry to explain his concern.

The guy accepted it because here he was waiting for him to show up.

He was there to interview him just like he would for any potential suspect or witness. The weird feeling didn't go away.

As he fiddled with the paper he had snagged before sitting down to wait for – the potential date for Harry, he resisted the urge to look at his watch or pullout his cell to call up Felicia and tell her that he wasn't going through with this interview. His attention is pulled to the door and he watches as the man that Felicia had showed him a picture of earlier walks in. He pauses away from the door to scan the little place obviously trying to find someone or something.

Flack raised up his hand to catch his attention. The guy catches sight and nods a quick acknowledgement and begins in his direction. He studies the man that comes toward him and notes his athletic build. He had a healthy complexion. A confident posture as he moved around the people in the cafe. He isn't a flashy dresser and this surprises Flack for some reason. From what Felicia told him about the guy he got the impression that he was big on appearances.

"Detective Flack, correct?"

"Don or Flack will do and you're Roman, right?" He held out a hand to be shaken.

The brunet nodded as he took his hand in a firm, dry grip. "Yes, Roman Dodds."

* * *

**A/N**

I had to end it there. This chapter had been so frustrating to write. Slang got in the way because it just didn't feel like the right word or phrase that should be coming out of either character. This is where I need an honest opinion because to me it felt like Harry and Flack were becoming a bit OOC and I want to limit that. They are friends and I'm still unsure if I'll have them get together in the end or not because I feel it could easily go both ways.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading it. It pleases me to see that people enjoy it enough to put it on their favourite and watch lists, so thanks :)

Happy New Years!


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